Chateau Malartic Lagraviere 2019

JAMES SUCKLING: "Very complex aromas of dark berries, mushrooms, earth, flowers and incense. Crushed stone, too. Full-bodied with very fine, refined tannins that are caressing and beautiful. It’s very, very long and persistent in the finish with subtle and complex flavors. This will deliver beauty with age. Drink after 2025."

JEB DUNNUCK: "The 2019 Château Malartic-Lagravière showed brilliantly, with an elegant, pure, flawlessly balanced style. Giving up ripe black cherry, currants, tobacco leaf, and spicy oak, with textbook Graves scorched earth, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a beautiful layered, seamless mouthfeel, great tannins, and one heck of a great finish. It's not a blockbuster, but it excels on its elegance, balance, and complexity. Readers will love to have this in the cellar, and it will keep for 20+ years."

WINE ENTHUSIAST: "The Bonnie family has worked wonders at this estate, producing today one of the top wines of the appellation. This latest release, equally rich in tannins and fruit, is dense, powerful and also elegant. It will age well, and should be ready from 2027."

WEINWISSER: "55,9 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 41,3 % Merlot, 2,8 % Cabernet Franc, 46 hl/ha. Tiefes Purpurrot, satt in der Mitte. Delikates Bouquet mit exotischen Hölzern, edler Cassiswürze und hellem Tabak. Im zweiten Ansatz Szechuanpfeffer und Fliedernoten. Am eleganten Gaumen mit engmaschigem Tanningerüst, perfekt stützender Rasse und reifem Extrakt, alles am richtigen Platz. Im gebündelten Finale schnellt der Wein wie ein 100 m Sprinter nach dem Startschuss nach vorne und endet mit schwarzen Johannisbeeren und Graphit im Rückaroma. "A turning point at Malartic", meint der stolze Sohn, dem kann ich nur beipflichten – Well done, JJ Bonnie!"

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Deeply colored, the wine jumps out due to its showy nose with its smoked plum, chocolate, black cherry, espresso, flower and crushed rock aromatics. The flamboyant, full-bodied palate fills you up with layers of velvet-textured, polished blackberries, black cherries, coffee bean, mocha and licorice. The wine is elegant, lush and polished with silky tannins that provide you with length and purity. While you can enjoy this early, its best days are ahead. Drink from 2027-2055."

DECANTER: "Lovely vivid bright red pink in the glass. Pronounced nose, rich and vibrant. On the palate, this is crunchy with density and chew, a nice combination of texture and bright fruit. Lively with blackcurrant, strawberry and red cherry flavours alongside soft hints of dark chocolate and perfume. Delicate but also layered with flavour. I like this a lot. Bright energy with a density that is bold yet refined and sculpted. The texture and overall balance is excellent and this will provide great drinking for the long term. Such a long length. Purity and power. Elegant with finesse, purity and power. Classic and well made."

FALSTAFF: "Dunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Schwarze Kirschen, reife Pflaumen, ein Hauch von Nougat, feine Edelholzwürze. Saftig, angenehme Fruchtsüße, reife Tannine, frisch strukturiert, schokoladiger Touch im Abgang, bereits gut entwickelt, antrinkbar, gutes Reifepotenzial."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "Aromas of raspberries, blackcurrants, charcoal and forest floor preface the 2019 Malartic Lagravière, a medium to full-bodied, fleshy and charming wine that's lively and elegant, built around bright acids and fine, powdery tannins. This has turned out nicely in bottle and shows good potential for improvement in the cellar."

WINE SPECTATOR: " Very sleek, featuring cassis, mulled plum and raspberry coulis flavors, laced with licorice, alder and sweet tobacco notes. Offers a subtle sous bois hint that peeks in on the finish, so this isn't for the longer haul but is tasty now. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2029. 10,000 cases made."